NZ VS ENG - 2nd Test, England tour of New Zealand, 2023

A roller-coaster spanning over five days has finally ended. Test cricket just witnessed one of its finest advertisements. England were ahead for major part of the Test. NZ started their redemption act on day 4, stuttered on day 5 before pipping England in the final few seconds. Lot of dissection can happen about how things could have panned out. But it is a one-run win for NZ and that means the series has been squared 1-1. England's brand of cricket is winning them games and more importantly winning them new fans. New Zealand managed to just keep them away. But Test cricket seems to have the right way forward with England leading the march. We will walk away as well. This is Kumar Abhisekh signing off on behalf of Abhinand, Anurag, Pradeep and Siva. We had a ball bringing this to you. Pleasure was all ours...

Tim Southee: Right up there. A special win to come back after being asked to follow-on. The guys will soak this up. The character showed by the guys has been very special. Try to stay as calm. Just give it your best shot. Great Test to be involved in. We couldn't read much into the Day-Night Test. England were all class in the first two days. Number of guys to thank. The openers held it together in the second innings. Then Kane and Blundell. Neil has been doing this us for a long period of time. It came off for him at the right time. Great for Test cricket for all the guys that are here. Having Test matches like these is good for Tests going forward.

Ben Stokes: That game is what Test cricket is about, it was just incredible. The emotions we were going through and obviously the Kiwi boys out there as well. Was incredible to be involved in such a Test match. Everyone's got their money worth. It was a case of assessing the situations, we always knew that at some point in that partnership (between himself and Root), Tim was gonna have to roll the dice with something. Wags came on and blew the game open for them. For myself and Joe there, that was our opportunity to pounce. Sometimes things don't happen the way you want them to. With those bouncer plans, we had to make a decision and obviously it didn't come off for us. It was an opportunity for us to score runs there. As soon as Waggie came on to do those bouncers, I saw it as an opportunity to maybe take 20 runs off the over and then bring the game even more in our favour. Credit to Waggie and Tim for coming up with that idea. (On his knee) Better than bad. Disappointing to end with a loss here. We had a great summer last year. We have a few months off before the Ashes. We will look to do what we can.

Harry Brook, Player of the Series: Looking at the pitch on the first day, we didn't think it'd last that long. In the end, it was a very good cricket wicket. It was an enjoyable game to watch. I wouldn't say I am a bowler, I'm just glad that I contributed in that stage of the game and managed to get the breakthrough. That kinda opened it up for us. The result didn't go our way. Credit to New Zealand, they were fantastic. Trying to take one game at a time at the moment.

Kane Williamson, Player of the Match: It isn't quite fair to be standing here after a game of cricket like that. The contributions we've seen from both teams ... fantastic game of cricket to be a part of. For us as a team, we've been fighting away in the Test format for a while, it's kinda nice to get across the line in this one. You always try to do the best you can for the team and it's never enough. We saw some really valuable partnerships to get us a total on the board and something to bowl at in the last innings. We had to fight really hard to reverse some of the momentum. This English team is playing incredible cricket at the moment. We were up against it coming into this game. To fight away, to complete and ultimately just get across the line is a nice feeling. I was just trying to stick to the basics. We knew we were going to be challenged. There is so much quality in this English attack and the pitch offered a little bit throughout. Amazing pitch that set the platform for a fantastic game of cricket. Jimmy smacked it hard (about the last four that Anderson hit), one of those things.

But credit to England, they add spice to every game they play. They are the oregano seasoning to every quintessential continental dish. They pounded NZ in the first Test. It seemed another encore was on its way on day 1 when Brook displayed his batting skills. Root held it together and England declared on 435. NZ imploded in the first innings. They were asked to follow-on. England were set for another Test series win before a few spirited Kiwis decided to take charge.

Tom Blundell: Saw it pretty well and lucky it went in clean, so pretty happy. When Foakesy hit it over Beastie's (Bracewell) head I thought he was gonna do it but like this team has done it in the past, we fight to the bitter end. This team fights and we fight hard. Yesterday batting with Kane, putting on that partnership and getting the team in a good position was pretty pleasing. A little bit unexpected, I wasn't looking to stand up (to the stumps) that early but as a keeper, you want to be in those moments.

Neil Wagner: Neil Wagner: Pretty jaded, this is a special one. We'll celebrate it well. Amazing achievement and everybody contributed, so hats off to everyone. That's what this team is all about - just keep fighting. That's the characteristics of this team, keep learning to fight for each other and find a way by doing the hard yards. In the first Test, they played well and credit where it's due. They played extremely well in the first innings too in tough conditions, we found a way of contributing. Special mention to Kane, Tommy and Timmy the way they batted. Exceptional performance from everyone. Credit to Harry Brook, he's a serious talent. The way he came after me was pretty awesome to watch but not to receive. Serious player.

16:10 Local Time, 03:10 GMT, 08:40 IST: It has to be one of the finest Tests ever. NZ have eked out a famous win by 1 run. They were down and out when Root and Stokes were going great guns. They got Stokes, they nipped out Root. Foakes got his act together and got them to the brink but he fell to a short ball as Southee gave his team one final chance. The hoodoo from Leach while batting on 1 seemed good to come off again as Anderson flayed one away to take England two short of a win. But a stifle down leg ended it. Wagner deservingly being the man who finished it off. He was the man who turned it around by removing Stokes and Root off short balls. You live by the sword and you die by it as well. A dodgy knee for Stokes also didn't help much. A win by one run. NZ have become the third team to win after being asked to follow-on. How crazy have things been today! Need a moment to wrap my head around this...

Wagner to Anderson, out Caught by Blundell!! Stifled down leg. Burnley Lara won't do it. That is a good sharp take down leg. Just a faint tickle off the bat down leg and the keeper dived to his right to take it. NZ win by the barest of margins. The margin of victory is 1 run. They have snatched a win out of nowhere. Test cricket doesn't need much advertisement. Just show them this. That wasn't a great delivery from Wagner but a gutted Anderson just got a faint tickle. The review was taken but it also showed a small spike. Anderson c Blundell b Wagner 4(6) [4s-1]

Wagner to Anderson, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Wagner to Anderson, no run, that almost could have been wided. Was banged in short, flies down leg and scaled a lot of height as well. But wasn't wided

Southee to Jack Leach, no run, and the game goes into another over. Was banged in short, Jack Leach lets it go untouched and unscathed. He is again on 1 and England are on the doorstep of another famous win

Southee to Jack Leach, no run, and the man at mid-on dived for his life there. That was pushed down to mid-on and he dived to stop it to his right

Southee to Jack Leach, no run, and that's the second short ball of the over. Jack Leach sits under it easily to let it sail into the gloves

Southee to Jack Leach, no run, gets behind the line of the delivery and defends it down into the deck

Southee to Jack Leach, no run, that's a brilliant leave outside off. Nips in from a length, Jack Leach sees the line outside off and lets it pass to the keeper

Southee to Jack Leach, no run, banged in short, Jack Leach sits under it and lets it go to the keeper

Wagner to Anderson, FOUR, my my! Can't wrap my head around this. Backs away and goes for a wild heave. Manages to get a good chunk on it and gets it past mid-on for a four. Jimmy might have hit his most famous boundary. That was crunched and KW at mid-on dived over it. He could have done better for sure

Wagner to Anderson, no run, that was aimed to behead the batter, Anderson looked away but managed to tap it down to give no chance to the man at FSL. Was a nasty short ball but Anderson did well. 6 needed now